Improvement in washing-machines



SARAH LINDSLEY.

WASHING MACHINE.

Patented Aug. 22,1876.

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SARAH LINDSLEY, or COLLINS, New YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN WASHING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 181,353 dated August 22, 1876; application filed June 27, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SARAH LINDsLEY, of Collins, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented an Improved Washing- Machine; and I do hereby declare that the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying sheet of drawings, forms a full, clear, and exact specification, which sets forth the nature and object of my invention in such terms as to enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements on washing-machines; and it consists in the combination, with asuitably-shaped tub, of a corresponding vertically-operating dasher actuated by a suitably-arranged hand-lever, said dasher being composed of a head and two sideboards, and a series of slats, arranged in such manner that their edges form the abrading surface, substantially in the manner as hereinafter more fully described. The tub is provided with a cover to retain the steam and prevent splashing of the water without interfering with the proper working of the handlever.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved washing'machine. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation; Fig. 3, a perspective view of the dasher; and Fig. 4, a similar view of the cover.

Corresponding parts are designated by similar letters in all the figures.

A is the wash-tub. It consists of a rectangular or other shaped wooden receptacle, made water-tight; and it has the usual legs for support. Within this tub I locate a vertically-operating dasher, B, actuated by the hand-lever C, connected to said dasher by the rods D, and having its fulcrum within the bearing E, placed upon one of the upper edges of said tub A. The lever G is recessed semi-circularly on its lower side, fitting the correspondinglyshaped excision in said bearing E. The tub has the usual waste-plug F, whereby the contents of said tub are discharged, and is provided with a cover, G, fitting the upper edge closely. This cover has perpendicular sides, and an arched or raised top, (I, to allow the hand-lever (J to operate properly without necessitating the sides of this cover to be made of a width corresponding to the projecting height of said hand-lever. One of the sides I of this cover has an excision, c, for the passage of the hand-lever O. The dasher B, which constitutes the main feature of my invention, is constructed of the top board 13 and two side-boards, B. These latter boards are mortised to receive the tenons of a series of slats, I), placed in such position that their lower edges form a succession of ridges and depressions which constitute the abrading-surface of my machine. The slats b are about half the width of the side-boards B, so as to leave a passage, to, for the suds, which pass in a circuit through the space between the slats and the space a, back again into the space below the dasher, the side-boards being also provided with openings to for the same purpose. The lower edges of the slats are rounded to prevent them from injuring the clothes to be cleaned in this machine.

To wash coarse fabrics, the hot soap-suds should be poured over the clothes previously placed into the tub, and. left to soak for a space of time, according to the condition of the clothes. When thoroughly soaked the dasher B is actuated, and will operate in a manner similar to clothes-pounders, and cause the clothes to be cleaned by rubbing against each other and the lower rounded edges of the slats b; In this manner the coarsest as well as the finest fabrics may be easily cleaned without injuring them in the slightest degree.

This machine can be made in various sizes and with a cylindrical or other shaped tub; and it can be manufactured and sold at such a low price as to be within the reach of almost every family.

It will be observed that the dasher B nearly fills the interior of the tub, having barely sufficient clearance to allow for swelling of the wood. In this manner there is no splashing of the dirty suds, nor the disagreeable escape of steam, two features which add greatly to the merits and usefulness of my washing-machine.

Instead of the top board 13', I may provide the tub A with a cover, G, having perpendicular sides, and an arched or raised top, d, one of the sides being provided with an excision, c, for the passage of the hand-lever.

Having thus fully described my invention, I desire to secure to me by Letters Patent of the United States- The hereinbefore-described washing-machine, consisting of a tub, A, provided with a vertically-operating dasher, B, composed of the top board B, sides B, and the series of slats b, said dasher being provided with the passage a, between the top board B and the slats b, and operated by a hand-lever, O, having its fulcrum in the bearing E, upon the upper edge of said tub A, in such manner that said dasher will descend by its own gravity and ascend by means of said lever C, the whole being constructed and arranged to operate substantially in the manner and for the use and purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses. v SARAH LINDSLEY. Attest:

WM. PEAOOGK, I. A. WILLS. 

